Bike handling skills blah blah, but was he close to it this time? I didn't watch the clip because I know it takes me at least ten replays to even fix my eyes on the nucleus of any bunch crash.

He was the right hand rider in a row of three riders near the front of the group. Going round a bend the rider on the left of those three slipped out and took the rider directly to Sagans left out. Sagan managed to get by before they would have ended up taking him out.

EDIT:Looking at the overhead shot, he definitely starts going left before his rear wheel is clear of Walscheid's front wheel

I think he looks clear there. It's a bit deceptive at first look because the shadow of his rear wheel is trailing him the whole way. The wheel itself, however, appears to be positioned more safely. I'd bet that if there was a side camera angle it would be more evident.

But that is one, insane acceleration. It looked like a man against boys. I can't believe how far back he was. But I still don't understand why we never get to see the overhead angle in real time. The worst place to assess a mass sprint from is that typical head-on perspective. There's no depth perception for the viewer, and it's usually impossible to see the actual space between riders.

I think he looks clear there. It's a bit deceptive at first look because the shadow of his rear wheel is trailing him the whole way. The wheel itself, however, appears to be positioned more safely. I'd bet that if there was a side camera angle it would be more evident.

I just looked at the results and wonder about UAE and their already started Kristoff vs Gaviria for which sprints and which classics discussions. Here comes Jasper....

EDIT: on Jasper after watching his win in Gylne Gutuer last year

Quote

By the way, it was a great race watching, much better than the vuelta stage and Jasper Philipsen should graduate to WT ( or ?) someday soon...great classics riding with smooth tactics where the norwegians and danes were shooting each other down for 50 km , Philpsen just waited for the decisive moves and followed.

looks like it could turn out to be the (expected) mistake to gift 5 seconds to Bevin during stage 1... today he takes 10 more:

He has a good kick uphill, as displayed by coming 2nd (behind Gilbert) at a tough Tour de Suisse finish in 2017, and also in Bristol (behind Alaphilippe) at the Tour of Britain, but I didn't really think this arrival would be difficult enough to make that much of a difference, to be honest. He basically won it with ease